Apparatus for thoracentesis.



,l 1. FELSEN. APPARATUS FOR THORACENTESIS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC1011917.

1,284,630. Patented NOV. 12, 1918.

I N QQ Q l i 1 'wir m el! i INVENTOR.

- JMW/272 FNM/2 UMTED STATES PATENT QEFTQE..

JOSEPH FELSEN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS 'FOR THORACENTESIS.

Application filed December 10, 1917.

T o all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FnLsnN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, county and State of yNew Yorl, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Thoracentesis. set forth in the'following specification.-

rlhis invention relates to the practice of thoracentesis and other evacuations of cavities of the human body other than those of the. thorax. Heretofore, in drawing 0E the accumulated fluid from the pleural region in cases of pleurisy, it has been customary to employ more or less-complicated aspirating apparatus to produce a vacuum, for a trocar employed to penetrate the cavity in which fluid is accumulated.

The object of the present invention is to devise a simple apparatus capable of manipulation by a single operator and extremely simple in all respects.

The above and further detailed advantages of the invention will be apparent from the illustrative embodiment set forth in the accompanying specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

In the drawings the single ligure is a diagrammatic representation of an illustrative embodiment of suitable apparatus in practice. l

The apparatus is shown suitably arranged for a thoracentesis operation. As is customary in the practice of this operation, the hollow needle or trocar 1 has been caused to enter the pleural cavity of the patient 2 through the lateral rear of the sixth intercostal space, while the patient and the cavity to be evacuated are suitably elevated as by positioning' upon the support 3.

standard e supports a discharge receptacle 5, a liquid-reservoir 6 and a sample bottle 7, so that the same may independently be adjusted as to their elevation relatively to the patient 2. The reservoir 6 contains any suitable heavy liquid 8, such as water, filling the same to a suitable extent, about one-half the capacity of the reservoir being satisfactory, and it being preferred that the capacity of the reservoir approximate one quart. The reservoir 6 may be opened and closed at will through means of the removable stopper 9, which forms an hermetical closure. Means in any suitable form, which may comprise the glass tube 10 and flexible Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

Serial No. 206,358.

ducts 11 and 12, connect the interior of the reservoir 6 with the trocar 1. This connection may be direct, if desired, in which case the duct 12 directly connects with the glass tube 10, but it is preferred that the sample bottle 7 be connected between the trocar 1 and the reservoir 6, which may be accomplished through the medium of they glass tubes 13 and 14, entering the sample bottle 7 through the hermetically closing stopper 15. The reservoir 6 and the bottle 7 are shown adjustably supported by arms 16 and 17, adjustably gripping the standard 1. In a similar manner the discharge pan L5 may be mounted on a platform 18 adjustably secured to the standard 4 in any suitable manner as by a bracket mounted on the standard 4 as the arm 17 is mounted on the standard. In its preferred form the reservoir 6 has a discharge tap 19, below the level of the liquid 8, which is connected by means of a dependent duct 2O with the discharge pan 5. Discharge through the duct 2O may be controlled by the valve 21 or by a clamp 22 directly upon the flexible duct 20, as may be desired. In a similar manner more direct control of the vacuum applied to the trocar 1 may be had through the medium of a clamp such as the clamp 23.

'pan 5 determines the maximum degree of initial vacuum which may be applied to the vtrocar 1 and is of course equal to the weight of the column of water between the top of the liquid in the reservoir 1 and the liquid level in the pan 5. By adjusting the position of the reservoir 6 relatively to the human cavity to be evacuated, the eiective operating vacuum may be made either greater or less than the initial vacuum available at -the opening in the trocar. For eX- ample, 1f the mouth of the glass tube 10 is below the human cavity to be evacuated, the initial vacuum is increased by the Weight of the column of water in the duct between the mouth of the tube and the operating end of the trocar.

The capacity of the sample bottle 7 may be Small O1 lille, as desired. If small, part of the fluid, usually from one to three pints, is removed from the human body, passes through the sample bottle 7 into the reservoir 6 and is therefore hydraulically einployed to continue the production of the vacuum by discharge through the dependent duct 20. By controlling the rate of discharge through the dependent duct by manipulating the valve 21, any desired degree of vacuum may be maintained. n the event that an instantaneous cessation of the evacuation be necessary, this may be accomplished by closing the pinoli clamp 23. The empty space above the liquid in the reservoir 6 insures regularity in the operation of the apparatus through the elasticity of the air remaining therein, so that the operation of the apparatus is uniform and, at the same time, easily regulated.

What is claimed, and What is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent 1s:-

Apparatus for removing liuid from cavities of the human body comprising' a trocar; a hermetically closable liquid reservoir adapted to contain a partial filling of liquid and an air space above the level of said filling, a flexible duct connecting said trocar with said reservoir above the level of said filling of liquid; means comprising a dependent duct of adjustable eective vertical extent for permitting the gravity discharge of liquid from said reservoir; and means for adjusting the elevation of said reservoir relatively to the discharge end ot said dependent duct and to the operating elevation of said trocar.

ln testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification, this Sth day of November, 1917.

JOSEPH FELSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

